"We're trying to enhance the (TV) package, but the notion
that we're playing Friday nights — I don't think it will happen while I'm
here," said Delany, whose contract runs through 2018. "There are much higher
priorities."

The Big Ten's contract with ESPN and ABC for regular season
games runs through 2016. It's no secret that television drives many of the decisions
in college football, but Delany isn't prepared to make Friday night games a
regular part of the schedule. The conference does play Friday games on Labor Day
weekend and the day after Thanksgiving.

Delany identified three problems with Friday night games:
interference with high school games, potential missed class time for players
and the ability of campuses to host weekday crowds. The interference with high
school games would likely cause the most objections.

The conference will have 14 teams beginning next season when
Rutgers and Maryland join, which will make for a crowded TV schedule on
Saturdays. One remedy Delany has pushed is adding primetime games in
November, which have been extremely rare in the past.

None of these proposed changes would seem to be much of
concern for Rutgers. The team has regularly played Thursday and Friday night
games while in the Big East and American, and it hosted South Florida in a night
game last Dec. 7.

Rutgers opens its 2014 schedule at Washington State on
Thursday, Aug. 28. The rest of its games will be played on Saturdays. The times
for the games have not yet been announced.

Delany also told the Tribune that the Big Ten has no plans to
expand beyond Rutgers and Maryland, which he said increased the conference's "demographic
footprint" by 20 to 25 percent.

"We will need extra elbow grease to make
everyone feel a part of it," Delany said. "We need to work harder to make them
feel welcome."